Clan Cockburn History:
The lands of Cockburn were in Berwickshire and the name became widespread in the 13th century, though it is uncertain where this name came from. It may be from the land Cukooburn in Roxburghshire and since the Scots word for “cuckoo” is gowk it is an unlikely derivation. A further inconsistency to the theory is that the family’s heraldry consists of a cockerel as canting, or punning, heraldry usually illustrates the sound of the bearer’s name rather than its’ origin. The name Cockburn is of uncertain origin but may be a corruption of the Old English name Colbrand.The first recorded Cockburn is Peres de Cockburne who gave homage to Edward I of England, his name appearing on the Ragman Roll of 1296. Sir Alexander Cockburn, who was married to Sir William de Vipont’s daughter who owned the lands of Langton in Berwickshire, was killed at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. His grandson, also named Sir Alexander Cockburn, was created hereditary Usher in February 1373, an office held as a adjunct to the barony of Langton, Berwickshire, later confirmed via a charter of James IV in 1504. He was also the Keeper of the Great Seal from 1389-96. However, the Balfours Annals narrate that when the office of great usher had been seized by John the Earl of Wigtown, William Langdon, not wanting to wait through the rigmarole of the Parliament to settle the matter, inadvertently offended the King. The original chiefly line sold the barony and estate of Langton to a cousin who was created a baronet in his own right in May 1671. His successors still appear on the Roll of Baronets. Henry Cockburn (1779-1854) was the son of a sheriff of Midlothian. He was a distinguished judge and author and in 1834 was made Lord Cockburn. His descendant, Sir Alexander Cockburn (1802-80) was Lord Chief Justice of England. Sir George Cockburn, who conveyed the Emperor Napoleon to his final exile on the island of St Helena.

What is a Sept
In Scotland, a sept is often a family that is absorbed into a larger Scottish clan for mutual benefit. For example, the Burns family sept was absorbed into the Clan Campbell. The Burns family, being very small and of questionable heritage, gained legitimacy and protection; the Campbell clan absorbed a potential rival for British affection in Scotland. Each Scottish clan typically has a number of septs, each with its own surname. Septs have rights to wear clan tartans although they often have tartans of their own.